Cheney: Palin pick in ’08 “a mistake”

posted at 12:31 pm on July 29, 2012 by Ed Morrissey

As we wait for Mitt Romney to pick his running mate in the next few weeks, the last successful GOP running mate has been privately advising the current GOP nominee and the head of his VP search committee, Beth Myers. Cheney believes that the #2 slot has to be filled with someone ready to take over the top job on Day 1 — and that John McCain flunked that test in 2008. In an interview with ABC News’ Jonathan Karl, Cheney called the selection of Sarah Palin “a mistake”:

Cheney would not comment on what he told Romney and Myers, but he was harsh in his assessment of McCain’s decision to pick Palin.

“That one,” Cheney said, “I don’t think was well handled.”

“The test to get on that small list has to be, ‘Is this person capable of being president of the United States?’”

Cheney believes Sarah Palin failed that test.

“I like Governor Palin. I’ve met her. I know her. She – attractive candidate. But based on her background, she’d only been governor for, what, two years. I don’t think she passed that test…of being ready to take over. And I think that was a mistake.”

Whoo-ee! Both Palin and Cheney are beloved by the conservative base, so I’m not sure which will get beat up more over this commentary. I’d guess that the Left is passing the popcorn this morning.

Rather than focus on that, what does this say about Cheney’s advice to Romney and Myers? Using this framework, names like Marco Rubio, Kelly Ayotte, Susana Marinez, Nikki Haley, and perhaps even Bob McDonnell (governor for two and a half years) have to come off of Cheney’s short list. Names like Rob Portman, Bobby Jindal, Tim Pawlenty, and Rick Perry would remain on the list. With Romney’s deep background as an executive, that quality was almost certainly his foremost consideration, too, so Cheney’s advice would only reinforce Romney’s instincts here. Plus, it doesn’t look like Romney will need a game-changing VP pick to make up ground against a popular incumbent, so the need to roll the dice will be low.

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Comments

I’ve grown a bit allergic to the knee jerk responses to anything resembling criicism of her. Cultish. Getting worse.
a capella on July 29, 2012 at 12:59 PM

This isn’t “criticism” of her, nor anything resembling criticism (which I understand and have engaged in myself over different issues); it’s more of a very familiar and odious kind of existential dismissal, a casual contempt. And on its face, it’s absurd. And we all know it. Palin was the most technically qualified government manager on either ticket. Her convention speech was electrifying, and the ticket was subsequently doing far better than expected, that is until McCain’s idiotic blunder. And some have also noticed that after the ticket shot ahead in the polls when they were campaigning together, McCain suddenly pulled away never to return to her side. No matter my own theory that McCain has serious issues of masochism and never really wanted to win, it was clear that Sarah Palin was a net benefit to his campaign and to the party, the latter fact proved over and over again since.

So Cheney’s comment was dumb, counter-intuitive and smacked of lazy and elitist misogyny with which many of us are truly tired. But I’ll bet he couldn’t avoid saying it. I’ll also bet he’s still pissed off that she rejected his advice about her pipeline bidding process and would not buckle to his crony capitalism.

SARAH was the only spark of life in McCain’s D.O.A. campaign – Like MILLIONS of Americans, I voted for Sarah Palin in 2008 – not McCain – and, I would vote for SARAH again in a heartbeat. McCain was the MISTAKE in 2008 – Not Palin.

1) The pipeline deal that she “negotiated” was DOA for economic reasons, and as predicted by people with oil industry expertise, it fell apart immediately and has never been built. Nor will it ever be, at least under the terms she insisted upon.

ROFL. It was signed into law AFTER THE ELECTION. do some research on the CBC of AK and how they have held up prodcution for political pork reasons not “economic reasons”.

2.) The ethics law that she signed has to be ranked as an absolute debacle, a disastrous, poorly-written piece of legislation that was apparently so onerous that it was used to drive her from office.

You really don’t know anything do you. the ethics law that “drove her from office” was written and signed by the GOv before her because of a need to try to clean up the corrupt GOP government of Murkowski who was forced to sign the bill into law The law Palin pushed and passed delt with the legistrative side of gov and the cronyism that the oil industry dished out to AK lawmakers.
The

3.) Her biggest accomplishment, therefore? Raising taxes precipitously on the oil companies and using it as a payout to the Alaskan people, on the proffered logic that (this her actual language, BTW) “it’s OUR oil, so it’s OUR money.”

Really? Let’s see she cut actual government spending by a billion dollars. She diodn’t cut the increase but actual spending. When she left office the coffers of AK had a $15 billion surplus. the tax “increase” she passed where a response to the corrupt tax package that the corrupt Murkowski regime passed to reward there cronies. The tax is so popular in AK that the politicians to this day have been unable to repeal it even with the oil compnaies giving them millions to do so.

You post really shows only one thing. Your opinions on Palin are based on a total false “facts” and it shows your lack of reserch on her. Yet here you are spewing these falsehoods and bearing false witness to someone. Next time check your facts.

Cheney was a great VP, but since it was known fairly early that Cheney would not run for President in 2008, one wonders if it would have be wiser if Cheney retired around 2005 and a new VP was picked who could have run for President in 2008…and not McCain…

albill on July 29, 2012 at 1:37 PM

Bush would have picked McShame, anyway. They were tight on the America-killing amnesty which killed the GOP, instead.

THE mistake in ’08 was picking McCain. The simple truth is that Palin energized the base and they were ahead until the Sept/Oct. financial crisis. Palin speaks truth to power with her honesty and Conservative values.

This isn’t “criticism” of her, nor anything resembling criticism (which I understand and have engaged in myself over different issues); it’s more of a very familiar and odious kind of existential dismissal, a casual contempt. And on its face, it’s absurd. And we all know it. Palin was the most technically qualified government manager on either ticket. Her convention speech was electrifying, and the ticket was subsequently doing far better than expected, that is until McCain’s idiotic blunder. […]

rrpjr on July 29, 2012 at 1:42 PM

+++

Her charisma on the stump rivaled Obama’s and Bill Clinton’s. Top tier. And I think Obama’s is fading. And Bill Clinton has his Oral Office legacy. She contributed so much to the 2008 ticket.

I guess it depends on what one considers “qualified”. If Palin’s year and a half as governor was insufficient for Cheney, fair enough. But by that token, Obama had even less business running for office and let’s not forget he was at the top of his ticket. Also not only does this disqualify McDonnell, Christie, Rubio, Martinez, and Ayotte for VP, but it calls into question if Romney’s 4 years in office is enough.

1.Nothing wrong with the pipeline, it’s just so that other vested interests has stopped it. Like the Keystone XL Pipeline.

2. The law had flaws , that later was changed. But for corrupt political reasons people in power didn’t want to change it while she remained Governor. Their political future were more worth to them than Alaska’s.

So Cheney, the Darth Vader of the GOP, is now a RINO. Are the only true Republicans the follower of Palin or Paul? Remember she was considered bipartisan by the Alaska press. In fact that was one reason McCain picked her. She was someone who seemed to see governance the way he did. If you view her debate during the election in Alaska or, more importantly, her 20 minute interview with Marie Bartiromo you never see the person idolized for her zealous support of true conservative ideas. You see a competent, well spoken, thoughtful, and pragmatic politician.

First McShameless and Rubio attack Bachmann,
then Cheney attacks Palin,
what’s going on ?
I don’t remember either Bachmann or Palin saying a word against McShameless , Rubio, Graham or Cheney , so where is all this venom against the ladies coming from ?

Darth Cheney, you’re a good American, but, as others have stated, you’re off the mark on this one. Here’s a question: If your buddies, the GOP Elite,are just like us,why haven’t they thrown their support behind Chick-Fil-A, as Gov. Palin has? Are they afraid that they’ll lose their seat at the Beltway Country Club Bar?

I have really never like Cheney much as I always saw him more as Neo-Conservative as opposed to conservative.

McCain made the right pick for VP as Palin provided what that campaign needed, helped McCain catapult to the lead, and if Obama had been properly vetted and McCain actually executed better, they could have won if the mortgage/economic meltdown did not happen.

Palin’s mistake was that she should have been less ambitious and more humble, finishing out two solid terms as governor and been a very strong candidate in 2016.

I like Cheyney but he’s dead wrong here on two counts. First, Palin would make a fine president if you’re looking for an honest person and a conservative . Second, why bring this up now? What’s the point? Is this going to help remove Barack H. Obama from office? If not, it’s fluff. Period.

Technically … he might be right. But the bigger mistake was choosing McCain, expecting an angry old man (his perception) who was an unreliable conservative (weak with his base) to beat a democrat, running against a national media-backed anti-Bush campaign.

As it turned out, it was Palin who re-energized his campaign and saved it from being a total rout. And for her mere two years as governor, that should count for something against the rather inexperienced miracle worker we have now.

Did he think his former boss, George the Elder chose a candidate ready to be president on day one? And what about the democrat nominee who now sits in the WH? Was he qualified? Of I forgot, he’s half black, he doesn’t have to be qualified.

Sorry but Cheney is now the walking dead with little influence anymore but to throw a caution bone out there…and i think he’s right. But what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. That’s why Mitt will choose from the governors on the list or Rob Portman, and probably the latter because he can work Washington and he’ll know what to do if Mitt is incapacitated in any way. I think he’ll also assist in turning Ohio red.

PS: I really admire Sarah Palin but she has to mature and sound like she has a grasp of policy and not just fling conservative platitudes at the enemy.

Trashing the American economy, Amnesty, “deficits don’t matter”, etc. is not serving with honor. Cheney was a terrible steward of the office he was elected to.

Cheney had (and still has) little regard for the average American. I agree that Palin was not qualified but I fail to see how he is any different than Obama. Both men hold Americans in contempt.

If you view politics as a sport and Cheney is on “team Red” then I guess he is your guy. But he did a lot of harm to this country and the people who live here. Now he is bad mouthing the people trying to clean up his mess. Just sad.

And the problem is that I can already predict the usual suspects will “rebut” my points here by saying “you suck,” or “you have a tiny dick,” or “you’re not a conservative!” or “I HATE YOU” or some variation thereof.
Esoteric on July 29, 2012 at 1:27 PM

You conveniently left out your most telling criticism.
Misogyny.

Biden, Cheney, Gore. This is the truth you support. Tell us what the DIS-qualifiers are for this job again- other than being female ?
Seriously,
Do not allow the media to form your opinions.

I can understand some people may not like Palin, especially among our resident “moderates,” but there is NO REASON to use ad hominems against people who dare to commit the crime of: saying something positive about Palin

First McShameless and Rubio attack Bachmann,
then Cheney attacks Palin,
what’s going on ?
I don’t remember either Bachmann or Palin saying a word against McShameless , Rubio, Graham or Cheney , so where is all this venom against the ladies coming from ?

burrata on July 29, 2012 at 1:53 PM

Maybe because they make the men in the GOP look like sissy little girly men?

Cheney is just butt hurt that Sarah has more influence with conservatives than he does. And he is not happy that she is helping to dethrone establishment hacks in the primaries. Sarah’ endorsement has helped propel Cruz to victory in Texas this week. Suck it Cheney !!!

Sarah Palin was thrust into the spotlight in 2008 in a Kafkaesque way. From 0 to 60 in 3 seconds. Yes, she embraced it. You realize it was a few short days between her selection and her speech at the convention? To write a speech like that, and then have transcript and teleprompter problems, and then deliver it like she did, that is beyond my understanding.

Prepared to be the VP? And President? She’s conquered challenges in her life like no one else.

Also not only does this disqualify McDonnell, Christie, Rubio, Martinez, and Ayotte for VP, but it calls into question if Romney’s 4 years in office is enough.

Doughboy on July 29, 2012 at 1:49 PM

The quailifications that cheney is looking for is being part of the moderate wing as his record shows:

Cheney was in the nixon and ford admin. He never served in the reagan whitehouse. He was a congressmen for 10 years then he was picked to be SEc of defense by Bush the first for 4 years. He then was CEO of halibuton. So basically he served in every moderate GOP admin in the last 50 years was not a part of Reagan’s Whitehouse left gov service during clinton years and worked for a private sector buiness. Besides being the cheif of staff for the failed one term Ford admin succeeding Rumsfield for that job. (hmm lots of the same names keep popping up in all the moderate GOP admin (Bush rumsfield cheney)almost as if ….nah couldn’t be.

It is disconcerting that the same people here who accuse Obama supporters of hero worship (which they are doing) and of being cultish (which they are) are guilty of the same thing with Sarah Palin. She is human, and is primed to look out for her own self-interests before anybody else. That’s why she was able to take you suckers for a ride back in the primary.

eva3071 on July 29, 2012 at 1:39 PM

I am put off and disgusted by your complete and willful lack of insight into conservatives and how they think. People identify with Palin because she is the real thing–a red-blooded conservative who is unapologetic and genuine who did not grow up in the halls of power and has not lost her connection to those of us who share her middle class roots. She is imperfect because she is human. Resigning as governor was a mistake, but not because she wasn’t trying to do the right thing, but rather because she gave people like you and the legion of the damned a bone to gnaw on and to brand her as a quitter. She has accomplished more principled and significant things in her life before McCain chose her than her critics (including you) will ever do, and they hate her for it. That hate extends to disqualifying her supporters as “groupies” and “cult followers”.

Well let me tell you something missy. I’ve had to take principled stands many times in my life, and they don’t always accrue to my benefit. I have served this country, raised four children, and honored my mother and my father. I will not be reduced to being called a mind-numbed robot by someone trying to be fashionable by denigrating Sarah Palin. I have admired her since before she was chosen for the VP slot, and I will continue to admire her as long as she remains faithful to her convictions, and there is nothing that you or anyone can do to change that.

greene66
“if she’s a mistake to the “GOP” leadership, then the GOP does not represent me, and the only “mistake” was that I ever put any faith, trust or respect in the Republican Party, which obviously holds people like me in contempt.”

Cheney is wrong , but this attack isn’t done by mistake.
The establishment doesn’t like that so many corrupt cronies getting forced out by grassroots.
the_nile on July 29, 2012 at 1:21 PM
There is some truth to what you say.
SparkPlug on July 29, 2012 at 1:24 PM

You are both wrong. The only reason you could even argue that Palin was a good pick with lack of experience was because she was running against Obama who was even less experienced.

McCain ruined Palin’s political career before it had time to develop with more substantive experience. Cheany was a great VP because of his experience in addition to his conservative credentials.

If McCain had not picked Palin, she would still be on the rise. Now, her political career is likely done…

Cheney is just butt hurt that Sarah has more influence with conservatives than he does. And he is not happy that she is helping to dethrone establishment hacks in the primaries. Sarah’ endorsement has helped propel Cruz to victory in Texas this week. Suck it Cheney !!!

karenhasfreedom on July 29, 2012 at 2:00 PM

there is a lot of truth to that but cheney is and has always been part of the moderate wing of the GOP. The Bush the first admin cleverly took the mantle of “conservative” after Reagan to blunt the power of Reaganism. It is only after the progressive leadership of both him and his son that many conservatives are waking up and seeing who and what the moderate wing has been doing. and Palin makes many of those people understand what it is they have been doing just by the attacks on her from these same people that pretend to be conservatives. There is nothign that Palin did nor said that should make a “conservative” say these things about her. Only if they don’t agree with what she is saying would they attack her so. Therefore the logical conclusion is that they view Palin as more of a threat to their power then Obama .

Palin had more executive experience from her time as mayor of Wasilla than Obama, Biden and McCain had combined.
mankai on July 29, 2012 at 1:56 PM

Yah, i know and let’s face it, a lot of her dissing was sexist. it’s also past tense…so now we know if a woman is put up to run again she has to be of a different temperament than Mrs. Palin is right now to be taken seriously. Even Sarah just slowing her speech will drop her voice an octave and go a long way to making herself sound credible. Ever wonder why men sound more authoritative than women…deeper voices(even tho they may be full of pooh).

you sound verilli defending obamacare before the supremes! bottom line, it raised the cost of busines. business do not absorb those costs they pass them to the consumer. those increases are thus included in the price of gas. her actions added to gas prices.

The Mistake was McCain not Palin….she helped him from being blown out thoroughly and completely and was probably the reason many actually did vote for him because they voted for her. Once again, the Establishment rears its ugly head again to attack those that don’t kowtow to them.

and now the ‘nista nation cory booker’s cheney. but dont anyone dare say its a cult!!

chasdal on July 29, 2012 at 2:10 PM

Wrong. He said it, he owns it. I don’t want Cheney to retract his statement. I want him to be smart enough not to say it next time. I find no fault in his opinion other than disagreeing with it and his choice of whom to voice it to.

However, Gov. Palin could have refused the offer to be the Veep for McCain.

She had a choice. She took the gamble and lost, but she was a great VP canidate for McCain because she got turnout up on our side and was the MAIN reason McCain was ahead or even at the time the economic meltdown hit.

Palin’s flaw was her impatience. If she had put in two solid right-of-center terms as governor of AK, then ran in 2016, she would have been a HUGE force like Obama in 2008, but with the libertarian/conservative credentials, the possible first woman POTUS, and even more experienced with executive leadership.

Note though that the way she is helping out now is to really support anti-Rino candidates and this is a big help.

She is helping to send more libertarians and conservatives to Congress and reform the GOP.

If Romney loses in Nov., or wins and goes wobbly, the GOP is in some real trouble.

Cheany was a great VP because of his experience in addition to his conservative credentials.

If McCain had not picked Palin, she would still be on the rise. Now, her political career is likely done…

RedSoxNation on July 29, 2012 at 2:07 PM

some thing McCain and the moderate wing did that on purpose. I would like to ask you what conservative credentials did Cheney have he served in every moderate GOP admin not in Reagan’s.

Unless you want to make the case that nixion and ford and Bush the first were conservative. I don’t think price controls, and increasing taxes are conservative. Cheney oversaw the gulf war which result in the need for us to go back in 10 years later to finish the job.

Palin has the right ideas and a great presence, not enough time on the national stage for broader appeal. Just as McCain turned off Conservatives and would have kept them home on election night, Governor Palin excited conservatives but turned off the RINOs and independents, including McCain’s campaign executives.

What is the GOP to do? There are irreconcilable factions in the big tent.

No, we’re not a free nation anymore, young people are being sold into indentured servitude and don’t have any representation in the matter. We have spy drones flying all over the world, now even in our own skies. We have the so-called “Patriot Act”, the NDAA, naked body scanner and gropers at the airports. Our government is so corrupt that crooked banks and insurance companies bought the nominees of both parties and had to cheat in the Republican Primaries to get it done, further disenfranchising young voters who are being cheated by the crooks at the top of the Republican and Democrat organized crime machines.

Cheney & his buddy GW are establishment Republicans who have enabled the growth of big government and have pandered to big corporate interests like Obama has done with his green corporatists. Compared to Obama they’re much better but evaluated aside from the worst ever, they’re part of the reason the country’s middle class is so deep in federal and state debt. Neither is a fiscal conservative.

I used to think that Ryan would be a dangerous choice, but his budget will be an issue regardless as pointed out and he is very good at talking finance. He would destroy Biden and as running mate would have plenty of time to push the case for what is necessary.

As the price of oil skyrocketed, the people of Alaska did quite well during 2008 and reeped huge profits as did the oil companies.

Comparing the oil royalties or price the People charged the oil companies for THEIR oil to Obamacare is absolutely ridiculous.

Obamacare is not the sale of resources owned by the People.

Obamacare is the overregulation of the health insurance and healthcare industries that can’t possibly work, and is infinitely UN-conservative:

4. Prudence is chief among virtues

Fourth, conservatives are guided by their principle of prudence. Burke agrees with Plato that in the statesman, prudence is chief among virtues. Any public measure ought to be judged by its probable long-run consequences, not merely by temporary advantage or popularity. Liberals and radicals, the conservative says, are imprudent: for they dash at their objectives without giving much heed to the risk of new abuses worse than the evils they hope to sweep away. As John Randolph of Roanoke put it, Providence moves slowly, but the devil always hurries. Human society being complex, remedies cannot be simple if they are to be efficacious. The conservative declares that he acts only after sufficient reflection, having weighed the consequences. Sudden and slashing reforms are as perilous as sudden and slashing surgery. — Russell Kirk

Cheney is absolutely right. Palin was not only a Governor with little experience, when the rubber met the road and she started taking fire, she ran away from her elected responsibilities. In the aftermath of her tenure in office, most of her widely heralded “accomplishments” are gone or on the way out.

For you Palinistas, yeah she brought a spark to the ticket. Being a good campaigner and being a competent executive are often mutually exclusive. Just look at Obama. Good campaigner – with media help – disaster as an executive. Palin would be no better, sure we wouldn’t have OCare,etc but her incompetence certainly would have led to similar disasters.

She’s where she belongs now. An entertainer and producer of red meat for those who need red meat. With any luck we’ll never be forced to live through another Palin (or Santorum or Huckabee) campaign.

Cheney is a RINO.Not really of course, but he could have held his tongue or at least finished off by hammering Obama on his lack of experience leading us down the path to 3rd world status.

Southernblogger on July 29, 2012 at 2:18 PM

cheney is a moderate. But i wonder looking at the history of the GOp over the years since IKe at least it is more a moderate party. Only Reagan was conservative in any way. therefore maybe we conservatives should start thinking of ourselves as RINOS. We are after all the exception to the rule of moderates. We think Reagan changed the party but all he did was make the moderates say they were now conservatives to confuse the voters. Now after 24 years since Reagan many voters are seeing thaT THE gop DIDN’T CHANGE AFTER REAGAN AT ALL. they just lied better.

I really think the TEa party is just mostly Reagan conservatives fed up with being lied too by the GOP party. and I also think the moderates are itching to stop having to lie to get elected. So the moderates led by Romney this cycle are trying to distance themselves from the conservative base and to declaw that base they need to attack the conservative leaders like Palin. If it was anyone but Obama in office I don’t think the moderates would have picked this fight at this time but they believe conservatives are so afraid of Obama and so dislike Obama that they can take the risk. they also see the wave that ended many of them in 2010 and are trying to make sure that conservative wave doesn’t happen in 2012